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NON-RESISTANCE 



IN RELATION TO 



HUMAN GOVERNMENTS. 



BY ADIN BALLOLT. 



BOSTON: 

NON-RESISTANCE SOCIETY, 

25 Coinhill, 

1839. 



This Tract contains the remarks of A din Bal- 
lon at the First Annual Meeting of the Non-Re- 
sistance Society, held in Boston, Sept. 25, 1839. 



Dow & Jackson. Printers, 
14 Devonshire St. 



REMARKS OF ADIN BALLOU. 



Friend President—^ Where the Spirit of the Lord i.s, 
there is liberty.' I feel that the Spirit of the Lord is 
in this meeting, and that all who participate in its 
discussions are at liberty to express their convictions 
and peculiar views in their own way, without fear oi 
offending each other. We are of various religious 
connexions, and have not only different opinions on 
many points, but different modes of thought and ex- 
pression. Be it 50 ; since we come together in love, 
for the consideration and promotion of that grand 
virtue of Christianity without which all others become 
practically unfruitful. 

For my own part, I am not only not offended at 
hearing opinions and ideas expressed here contrary in 
some respects to my own, but I am happy to hear 
them delivered with that freedom and independence 
which evinces the absence of even a suspicion that 
any one can take offence. This is a sure presage of 
the triumph of truth over all our errors, whatever 
they may be, or whoever may hold them. 



My views of the subject presented ia the resolution 
just submitted may not entirely coincide with those 
of my friends; but I offer them /ranA-^y, expecting 
that they will be accepted or rejected, as each mdi- 
vidual may judge that they deserve. 

I perceive with joy that a divine instinct, if so 1 may 
term it, actuates my brethren and sisters of this con- 
vention in favor of non-resistance. This instinct is 
:tron,,^nd true e^s the needle to the pole-, while at 
the same time few of us clearly understand hon^^ 
non-resistant should carry out his principles, especial, 
ly with respect to human government. TheJcearti^ 
ri.ht, though the head may err. We love the blessed 
principle of non-resistance, though perhaps not suffi- 
ciently acute and discriminating, either to state or rf€. 
fend it ahvays correctly. Hence we are not to be ar. 
sued down by polemic ingenuity and eloquence ; 
y,Y,,chhov;evev confounding is yet nnconvincing, that 
on the whole we are not right. If I can contribute any 
thing towards a better understanding of this impoL 
tanl subject, so as to obviate any of its seeming diffi- 
culties, I shall deem myself happy in the privilege of 
being for a few moments a speaker. 

The resolution before us is in these words :- lie- 
solved, That it is the object of this Society neither to 
purify nor to subvert human governments, but to ad- 
vance in the earth that kingdom ol peace and right- 
eousness, which supersedes all such governments ' 
In speaking to this resolution, I do so not formally 
and technically in the name of this Society (of which 
I am not a member) but simply as a non-resistant m 
defence of the common cause in which we are all en- 
ga-ed I therefore take the resolution as if it read^ 
TResoWed, That it is the object of all true non-resist- 
ants ' &c. What then are the capital pomts which it 



embraces ? It seems to suggest three general inquir- 
ies, viz. What is human government ? What is divint 
governmei 1 1 What is the object of jion-resistants with 
respect to human government ? 

Wh t is human government ? It is the will of man 
— whether of one, few, many or all, in a state or na- 
tion — exercising absolute authority over man, by 
means of cunning and physical force. This icill may 
be ascertained, declared and executed, with or with- 
out written constitutions and laws, regularly or irreg- 
ularly, in moderation or in violence ; still it is alike 
human government under all forms and administra- 
tions, 017^ the will of man exercising absolute author- 
ity over man, by means of cunning and physical 
force. It may be patriarchal, hierarchal, monarchi- 
cal, aristocratical, democratical, or mobocratical — 
still it answers to this definition. It originates in 
man, depends on man, and makes man the lord — thej 
slave of man. 

What is the divine government ! It is the infallible ' 
will of God prescribing the duly of moral agents, and 
claiming their primary undivided allegiance, as indis- 
pensable to the enjoyment of pure and endless happi- 
ness. In the resolution it is denominated ' the king- 
dom and reign of Christ.' The kingdom of Christ is 
the kingdom of God ; for what is Christ's is God's. 
The Father dwelleth in the Son, and without Htm the 
Son can do nothing. In this kingdom the all perfect 
God is sole Kmg, Lawgiver, and Judge. He divides 
his authority with no creature; he is absolute Sover- 
eign ; he claims the whole heart, mind, and strength. 
His throne is in the spirit, and he writes his law on 
the understanding. Whosoever will not obey him 
implicitly is not yet delivered from the kingdom of 
darkness, and abides in moral death. 



6 



From this it appears that human government, prop- 
erly so called, can in no case be either superior to, or 
coequal with, the divine. Can this conclusion be 
avoided ? There are three, and but three cases, in 
which huvian government may dispute supremacy 
with the divi7ie. 1. When God requires one thing and 
man requires the contrary. In this case, whom ought 
we to obey? All christians must answer, with the 
faithful apostles of old, [17= ' We ought to obey God 
rather than men.' But must we disobey parents, pa- 
triarchs, priests, kings, nobles, presidents, governors, 
generals, legislatures, constitutions, armies, mobs, oZ^ 
rather than disobey God? We must; and then pa- 
tiently endure the penal consequences. Then surely 
human government is nothing against the govern- 
ment of God. 2. Human government and divine 
government sometimes agree in prescribing the savie 
duty ; i. e. God and man both require the same thing. 
In this case ought not the reverence of hvmcn author- 
ity to constitute at least a partoi the motive for doing 
right. We will see. Did man originate this duty ? 
No. Did he first declare it ? No. Has he added one 
iota oi oUigation io \i'i No. Go(i originated it, first 
declared it, and made it in the highest possible degree 
obligatory. Human government has merely borrow- 
ed it, re-echoed, and interwoven it with the tissue of 
its own enactments. How then can the christian turn 
his back on Jehovah, and make his low obeisance to 
man ? Or how can he divide his reverence between 
the divine and mere human authority ? How can he 
perform this duty any more willingly or faithfully, 
because /i?mfl;» government has re-enacted it ? Evi- 
dently he cannot. He will feel that it is the Creator^ 
law, not the creature's ; that he is under the highest 
possible obligation to perform it from reverence to 



God alone. Man has adopted it, and incorporated it with 
his own devices, but he has added nothing to its right- 
fulness or force. Here again human government is 
Y\x{\x\\\y notJiing. It has not even a claim oi joint 
reverence, with that of the divine. 3. Human legisla- 
tors enact many laws for the relief, convenience, and 
general welfare of mankind, which are demonstrably 
right and salutarij, but which God never expressly au- 
thorized in detail. In this case has not human au- 
thority a 'prinianj claim to our reverence ? Let us see. 
What is the motive from which a true christian will 
perform these requirements of man ? Must he not first 
be convinced that they are in perfect harmony with 
the great law of love to God and man — that they agree 
with what the divine Lawgiver has er;jress/y required ? 
Doubtless. Well, wlien fully convinced of this, what 
are they to him but mere am.plifications of the heav- 
enly law — new applications of its plain principles — 
more minute details of acknowledged general duty? 
What, therefore, is demonstrably right, he will feel 
bound to approve and scrupulously practice, not for 
human government's sake, but for righteovsness' sake — 
or, in oiher words, for the divine government's sake. 
This must be his great motive ; for no other would be 
a holij motive. It is one thing to discover new items 
of duty— new applications of moral obligation — and 
another to create them. Man may discover and point 
out new details— circumstantial peculiarities of duty 
— but he cannot create principles, nor originate moral 
obligation. The infinite Father has preoccupied this 
whole field. What then if the Legislature discover a 
new item of duty, arising out of a new combination 
of circumstances, and enact a good law for the ob- 
servance of that duty, with pains and penalties an- 
nexed : or what if a Convention like this discover the 



8 

existence of such an item of duty, and affirm it in the 
form of a solemn resolution ; the duty once made 
plain, no matter how, would not the truly good man 
be under precisely the same obligation to perform it? 
And if the Legislature should afterwards without cause 
repeal such laiv, and enact a bad one in its stead ; or 
if this Convention should non affirm the existence of 
the duty before declared, would not the enlightened 
christian be under precisely the same obligation still? 
None of these supposed circumstances ought to weigh 
a feather upon the conscience. The sense of obliga- 
tion must look directly to the Great Source of moral 
perfection, and the grand controlling motive of a holy 
heart in the performance of every duty must be, 
lly^ God requires it — it is right — it is best. We must 
perform all our duties as unto God, and not unto man. 

The conclusion is therefore unavoidable, that the 
will of man [human government] whether in one, a 
thousand, or many millions, has no intrinsic authority 
— no moral supremacy — and no rightful claim to the 
allegiance of man. It has no original, inherent au- 
thority whatsoever over the conscience. What then 
becomes of human government, as contradistinguished 
from the divine government ? Is it not a mere cy- 
pher ? When \i opposes God's government it is no^A- 
ing ; when it agrtes with his government it is nothing ; 
and when it discovers a new item of duty — a new ap- 
plication of the general law of God — it is nothing. 

We now arrive at the third inquiry suggested in the 
'-'■ resolution before us, viz. What is the object of non- 
resistants with respect to human government ? Is it 
their object to purifij it, to reform it ? No ; for our 
principles forbid us to take any part in the manage, 
ment of its machinery. We can neither fight for it, 
legislate in it, hold its offices, vote at its elections, nor 



act any polmcal part within its pale. To purify, to 
reform it-,f such were our object-~we must actively 
participate in its management. Moreover, if humaa 
government, properly so called, is what I have sh wii 
It to be, there can be no such thing as purifying it. 
Where there is nothing but dross, there is nothing to 
refine. Separate from what is commonly considered 
human government all that it h^s borrorved, or siolen 
trom the divme, and what remains ? What is there in 
the mere human worth purifying-capable of purifica- 
tion i Nothing. Again ; is it our object to subvert 
human government-to overthrow it-toturn it upside 
down ? By no means. We utterly disclaim any such 
object. We are no Jacobins, Revolutionists, Anar- 
chists ; though often slanderously so denominated. And 
here I must be permitted to make some explanations 
demanded by the public misapprehension of our real 
position and general movement. It seems to be taken 
for granted, that we have started a crusade to force 
the practice of non-resistance upon nations, states, 
bodies politic and all existing organizations of human 
society ; which is considered tantamount to an attempt 
for the violent subversion of human government. This 
is a very great mistake. We are not so insane as to 
imagine any such result practicable in the nature of 
things. We put our enterprize on purely christian 
grounds, and depend for success wholly on the use of 
christian means. We have nothing to do with na- 
tions, states, and bodies politic, merely as such ; for 
they have neither souls nor consciences. We address 
ourselves to individuals, who have both soul and con- 
science, and expect to affect organized masses of men 
only through their individual members. And as to 
any kind u{ force, other than that of truth and love 
sustained by a consistent example, as non-resistantS; 



10 

we utterly eschew it, with respect to all moral agents, 
collectively and individually. We very well know 
that neither bodies politic, nor individuals, can prac- 
tise christian non-resistance while actuated by the 
spirit of this world, and void of christian principle,— 
that is to say, while they are radically anti-christian 
in feeling, motive, conduct, and moral character. We 
are not so wild and visionary as to expect such im- 
possibilities. Nor do we go against all human gov- 
ernment in favor of no government. We make no 
such issue. On the contrary, we believe it to be 
among the irrevocable ordinations of God, that all 
who will not be governed by Him shall be governed 
by one another— shall be tyrannized over by one 
another ; that so long as men will indulge the lust of 
dominion, they shall be filled with the fruits of slave- 
ry ; that they who will not be obedient to the law of 
love, shall bow down under the yoke of physical 
force ; that ' they who lake the sword shall perish 
with the sword ; ' and that while so many as twenty 
ambitious, proud, selfish, revengeful, sinful men re- 
main in any corner of the world, they shall be subject 
to a human government of physical violence among 
themselves. If men will make themselves sick, 
physic is a necessary evil. If they will not observe the 
laws of health, they must bow to the dictation of doc- 
tors. If they will be gluttons, drunkards, debauchees, 
and pugilists, they must make the best of emetics, 
cathartics, cautery, amputation, and whatever else 
ensues. So if men will not be governed by God, it is 
their doom to be enslaved one by another. And in 
this view, human government — defective as it is, b&d 
as it is— is a necessary evil to those who will not be in 
willing subjection to the divine. Its restraints are bet- 
ter than no restraints at all— and its tvils are preven- 



11 

tives of greater. For thus it is that selfishness is 
made to thwart selfishness, pride to humble pride, re- 
venge to check revenge, cruelty to deter cruelly, and 
wrath to punish wrath.; that the vile lusts of men 
overruled by infinite wisdom, may counterwork and 
destroy each other. In this way hnma^i government 
grows out of the disorder of rebellious moral natures, 
and will continue, by inevitable consequence, in some 
form or other among men, till he whose right it is to 
reign ' shall be all in all.' Meantime, non-resistants 
are required by their principles not to resist any of the 
ordinances of these governments by phvsical force 
however unjust and wicked ; but to be subject to the 
powers that be, either actively or passively. Actively, in 
doing whatever they require that is agreeable to the 
law of God, or which may be innocently consented to. 
Passively, in the patient sufferance of their 'penalties, 
whenever duty to the divine government requires that 
man should be disobeyed. No unnecessary ofl^ence is 
to be given 10 Caesar; but his tribute money is to be 
rendered to him, and his taxes quietly paid,- while at 
the same time the things which belong unto God are 
to be most .^scrupulously rendered to mM, regardless 
alike of the favor or the frowns of all the govern- 
ments on earth. 

What then is the object of non-resistants with re- ' 
spect to human governments-if it is neither to pwify ' 
nor subvert them ? The resolution declares that it is 
to supersede them. To supersede them with 7vJiat^ 
With the kingdom of Christ. How ? By the spiritual 
regeneration of their individual subjects— by implant- 
ing in their minds higher principles of feeling and ac 
tion— by giving them heavenly instead of earthly mo- 
tives. And now, to understand this process of super- 
seding, let us consider the nature of Christ's king.^ 



12 

dom. It IS not an outward, temporal kingdom, like 
those of this world. It is spiritual, moral, eternal. 
When the Jews demanded information about the com- 
ing of this kingdom, ignorantly expecting it to appear 
with unparalleled external majesty,pomp,and circum- 
stance, Jesus replied : ' The kingdom of God cometh 
not with observation ; neither shall men say, lo here, 
or lo there ; for behold, the kingdom of God is within 
you.' When before Pilate, charged by his enemies 
with having set himself up against Coesar as a king, 
he said— 'My kingdom is not of this world. If my 
kingdom were of this world, then would my servants 
fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But 
now is my kingdom not from hence.' When his yet 
worldly minded disciples strove among themselves 
which should be greatest in his kingdom, he washed 
their feet with his own hands, for an example, and de- 
clared unto them that he among them who would be 
(Greatest should be least of all, and servant of all. He 
forbade them to exercise lordship, after the manner of 
carnal men among the nations of the earth, but to es- 
teem each other better than themselves, and to regard 
humility as the only true greatness ; to vie wiih each 
other— not for the highest, but for the lowest place- 
not for a chance to rule, but for a chance to serve— nol 
for the blessedness of receiving, but for that of giving 
—not for the praise of man, hut for the approval of 
God not for \.hQ prerogative of inflicting physical suf- 
fering for righteousness' sake, but for the privilege of 
enduring it. Hence he made himself the great Exem- 
plar of non-resistants ; and ' when he was reviled, re- 
viled not again ; when he suffered, he threatened not ; 
but committed himself to him that judgeth righteous- 
ly ; enduring every insult, reproach, cruelty, and tor- 
ture of his enemies, with unprovokable patience, and 



13 

unconquerable love ; forgiving his most deadly perse- 
cutors, and expiring with a prayer upon his lips for 
their salvation. Thus he overcame evil, with good; 
and, leaving behind him the Alexanders and Caesars 
of this world in their base murderous glory, earned 
for himself a name which is above every name, 
whether in this world or that to come; being highly 
exalted at the divine right hand, ' that unto him eve- 
ry knee should bow, of things in heaven, in earth, and 
under the earth— and every tongue confess him Lord 
to the glory of God the Father." Such is the Lord and 
Master of christians ; whom they are to obey and imi- 
tate, rather than Moses, or Samuel, or David, or Solo- 
mon, or Elijah, or Daniel, or even John. His king- 
dom is the kingdom of heaven ; wherein all legislsh 
tive, judicial, and avenging power is vested exclu- 
sively in that High and Holy One, who cannot err, 
either in sentiment, judgment, or action. Of this 
kingdom the apostle truly says— it ' is not meat and 
drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the 
Holy Ghost.' The fruit of its spirit, he further says— 
'is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, good- 
ness, faith, meekness, temperance.' ' Now they that 
are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections 
and lusts.' Having learned to renounce carnal weap- 
ons of defence, worldly honors, political preferments, 
and a vain dependence on the operations of human 
government for the cure of moral disorders^ they 
cease to avenge themselves on evil doers, either on 
their own responsibility as individuals, or on that of 
the Stote through its penal laws. They deem it their 
duty to forgive, not punish— to yield unto wrath and 
suffer wrong, without recompensing evil for evil— r«. 
ferring their cause always unto Him who hath said, 
' Vengeance is mine j I will repay,'— and thus obeying 



14 

Christ in his injunction, to love enemies; bless them 
that curse, do good to them that hate, and pray for the 
despiteful and persecuting. 

This is the doctrine and practice which non-resist- 
ants profess to have embraced, and according to the 
tenor of which they propose to supersede all human 
government with the divine. This is the real object 
of their present movement. They cease to take any 
active part in the affairs of human government. They 
cease to put their trust in the wisdom of man for gui- 
dance, or in the arm of iiesh for protection. Yet 
they stand not in the attitude of antagonists to human 
government; nor can they allow themselves to be 
mistaken for anarchists, nor be considered as willing 
to give any just cause of offence to the ' powers that 
be.' Neither can they enter into any quarrel with 
professedly good men, who feel called to no higher 
mission than that of reigning or serving in the king- 
doms of this world. But we hear a voice from above, 
saying — ' What is that to thee ? follow thou me.' 
And we deem it our privilege, through whatever of 
reproach or suffering we may be called, to show unto 
all good men whose reliance is even secondarily upon 
human government for the conversion of the world, 
' a more excellent rcay? And now, what is there so 
horrible, so dangerous, so alarming in all this? Why 
are we so misunderstood, misrepresented and denounc- 
ed ? These principles and this cause must prevail — 
if Christianity itself shall prevail ; and blessed are 
they among our opposers, whose mistaken zeal shall 
not betray them into a warfare against God. 
, But the cry salutes our ears from the open mouths 
even of professing christians. — ' Non-resistance is im- 
practicable in the present state of the world ; you must 
wait till the millennium.^ I answer ; ' to him that 



15 



believeth all things are possible.' Let ihe power of 
love and forbearance be faithfully exemplified, and it 
will remove mountains. And as to the millennium, 
what is it? Is it a state of things to come about like 
the seasons, by the revolution of the planets ? Is it 
to be the result of some arbitrary mechanical process ? 
or of a mere chemical agency ? Is it to be the effect 
oi physical or o( moral causes? Alas! how many 
are expecting the millennium to come ' with observa- 
tion ; ' just as the Jews of old were expecting the 
kingdom of God ; not knowing that this millennium 
and kingdom, must be within men, before it can ever 
be around them. Let us have the spirit of the millen- 
nium, and do the works of the millennium. Then 
will the millennium have already come ; and then 
will it speedily embosom the whole earth. What is 
this cry of impracticability/, but a cry of rebellion 
against the living God? What though under prehm- 
inary dispensations he winked at the ignorance of 
mankind, and even commanded his chosen servants 
to act a conspicuous part in the great system of gov- 
ernmental violence : this was only until 'the times of 
reformation.' In Christ He annuls the temporary ordi- 
nances of revenge, and commands forbearance — non- 
resistance to the physical violence ot man, even of 
the most injurious. Hear his 'Revised Statutes,' — 
017^ ' Ye have heard that it hath been said. An eye 
for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth : but I say unto 
you, that ye resist not evil ; but whosoever shall smite 
thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take 
away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.' Now is 
it impracticable to obey this holy commandment? Is 
not God the best judge of what is practicable ? Who 
has a right to question the expediency or practicability 



16 



of what the Infinite Father through his Son has en- 
joined. And let us be careful not to narrow down the 
meaning of this commandment. It is much more 
comprehensive than most expositors have been willing 
to allow. It forbids not merely all personal, individ- 
ual, self-assumed light of retaliation, but all revenge 
at law — all procuring of punishment to our injurers in 
the way of legal prosecution and judicial sentence. It 
goes this whole length. AVhen our Lord says — 'Ye 
have heard that it hath been said, An eye ior an eye 
and a tooth for a tooth ' — he refers to the Mosaic 
Statute Law. By consulting Exodus 21: 22 — 25; 
Leviticus 24 : 19, 20, and Deuteronomy 19 : 18—21, 
■we find the Statutes referred to; according to w^hich 
life must be given ' for life, breach lor breach, eye for 
eye, toolh for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn- 
ing for burning, wound for wound, and stripe for 
stripe.' The injured party, or his friends in his stead, 
had their redress and revenge at law. They might 
not take the businefs into their own hands, but must 
enter iheir complaint in due form to the elders of their 
town or city, and have a fair trial of the accused be- 
fore the proper tribunals. When the sentence of the 
judges had been pronounced, it was executed in legal 
form; the criminal being doomed to sufier the same 
injury to life or limb, which he had caused to his 
neighbor. Thus when a man had received a wound 
from his fellow man, or lost an eye, or a tooth, a hand 
or a foot, he had his revenge at law ; by due process 
of which he could thrust out an eye, or a tooth, or cut 
off a hand or a foot, or inflict any other injury which 
had been inflicted on him. But however salutary this 
statute, and however necessary to the good order of 
society in the opinion of political moralists, the great 
Master of christians has abrogated it, and command- 



17 



ed his followers not to resist evil ; not to resist it even 
according to law —not to procure punishment to their 
injurers through the regular judicial medium ; but lo 
bear all indignities, insults, assaults and wrongs, with 
forgiving meekness and patience. Here then is an 
end to controversy, with all who mean to be wholly 
Christ's ; they must he non-rtsistants. Who dares lo 
question the rectitude, propriety, practicability, or ex- 
pediency, of doing what the All-wise God has thus 
plainly required ? Is it one who calls Christ Lord and 
Master? Alas ! for the faithless, distrustful man. Do 
not such hear the words of Christ, in just reproof — 
saying, ' Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the 
things which I command?' 

But all this passes for nothing with many, who ex- 
claim — ' What are you going to do with the wolves 
and tigers of human kind ? Are you going to give 
them full range for their prey ? Will you invite the 
thief, the robber, the burglar, the murderer — to come 
and carry off your property, ravish away your trea- 
sures, spoil your house, butcher your wife and chil- 
dren, and shed your own heart's blood ? Will you be 
such a fool, such an enemy to yourself, your family 
and society? Will you encourage all manner of rap- 
ine and bloodshed, by assurances that you will never 
resist, nor even prosecute the basest ruffians V What 
a terrible appeal is this? how full of frightful images, 
and horrid anticipations of evil, from the practice of 
non-resistance. But if I am a christian, will such ap- 
peals move me ? Am I a christian, and do I doubt 
that God will protect me and mine against all the 
thieves, robbers and murderers in the world, while I 
conscientiously do my duty ? Am I more willing to 
rely upon forbidden means of defence, than upon the 
power of HIM who doeth his will in the armies oi 
Jieaven and among the inhabitants of the earth — and 
2 



18 



who hath said, ' I will never leave thee, nor forsake 
thee ? ' ' But are you sure that God will always rea- 
der your property, person and life secure from these 
attacks ?' No ; for it may be best that I should suffer 
— that I should even lose all things earthly. What 
then ; is treasure on earth my only treasure ? is world- 
ly substance my chief good ; is this life my only life ? 
What if I should actually lose my money ; have I 
not treasure laid up in heaven, where neither n)oth, 
nor rust, nor thieves can touch it? What if I should 
suffer great cruellies in my person ' for righttonsness 
sake;' should 1 therefore be miserable? What if I 
should lose my own life and that of my family ; 
should I not Jind life eternal for them and myself? I 
may be robbed, but T shall still be rich ; I may be 
murdered, but I shall live forevermore ; I may suffer 
the loss of all things earthly, but T shall gain all things 
heavenly. If I cannot confidently say this, am I a 
christian ? ' Who then shall harm us, if we be follow- 
ers of that which is good ?' I have a right to expect^ 
and I do confidently expect, that in practising the 
sublime virtue of non-resistance for the kingdom of 
heaven's sake, God will keep all that I commit to him 
in perfect safety, even here on earth, as long as it is 
for my good to be exempted from loss and suffering- 
I do firmly believe that in acting out these principles 
steadily and consistently, I shall continue longer unin- 
jured, longer in the enjoyment of life, longer safe 
from the depredations, assaults and murderous vio- 
lence of wicked men, than with all the swords, guns, 
pistols, dirks, peace officers, sheriffs, judges, prisons 
and gallows of the world. If this is the faith of a 
fool, then am I willing to be accounted a fool, till time 
shall test the merits of my position. It may not prove 
to be such great folly after all. 'Well, says the ob- 
jector, I should like to know how you would manage 
matters, if the ruffian should actually break into your 



19 

house with settled intent to rob and murder ; would 
you shrink back coward like, and see your wife and 
children slaughtered before your eyes?' I cannot 
tell how I might act in such a dreadful emergency- 
how weak and frail 1 should prove. But I can tell 
how I ought to act— how I should wish to act. If a 
firm, consistent non-resistant, I should prove myself 
no coward ; for it requires the noblest courage, the 
highest fortitude, to be a tiue non-resistant. If what 
I ought to be, I should be calm, and unruffled by the 
alarm at my door. I should meet my wretched fel- 
low-man with a spirit, an air, a salutation, a deport- 
ment, so Christ-like, so little expected, so confounding, 
so morally irresistible, that in all probability his weap- 
ons of violence and death would fall harmless to his 
side. I would say—' friend, why comest thou hither.? 
surely not to injure those who wish thee nothing but 
good ? This house is one of peace and friendship to 
all mankind. If thou art cold, warm thyself at our 
fire ; if hungry, refresh thyself at our table ■ if thou 
art weary, sleep in our bed ; if thou art destitute, 
poor, and needy, freely take of our goods. Come, let 
us be friends, that God may keep us all from evil and 
bless us with his protection.' What would be the 
effect of such treatment as this ? Would it not com- 
pletely overcome the feelings of the invader, so as eith- 
er to make him retreat inoffensively out of the house, 
or at least forbear all meditated violence? Would it 
not be incomparably saler than to rush to the shatter- 
ed door, half distracted with alarm, grasping some 
deadly weapon and bearing it aloft, looking fiery 
wrath, and mad defiance at the enemy ? How soon 
would follow the mortal encounter, and how extreme- 
ly uncertain the issue ? The moment I appeared in 
such an attitude, (just the thing expected) would not 
ruffian coolness and well trained muscular force be 
almost sure to seal the fate of myself and family ? 



20 



But in acting the non-resistant part, should I not be 
likely, in nine cases out of ten, to escape with perfect 
safety ? [' Yes,' said a brother, ' in nimty-nine cases 
out of a hundred.'] Yea, and perhaps nine hundred 
and ninety-nine out of a thousand. Not however, to 
expect too much ; suppose the robber should not be 
wholly deterred ; would he, at worst, seek any thing 
beyond mere booty ? Would not our lives and per- 
sons escape untouched ? It would hardly be worth 
his while to murder or mangle those who opposed no 
force to his depredations. E'lt we will make the case 
utterly desperate. Contrary to all probability, we 
will suppose that no moral majesty, no calm and dig- 
nified remonstrance, no divine interposiiion, availed 
any thing towards the prevention of the slaughter of 
an innocent family ; what then would I do in the last 
resort ? I would gather my loved ones in a group be- 
hind my person ; I would cover their retreat to the 
farthest corner of our room : and there in their front 
would I receive the blows of the murderer. I would 
say to him — ' Since nothing but our blood will satisfy 
thy thirst, I commend my all to that God in whom I 
trust. He will receive us to his bosom j and may he 
have mercy on thee. Strike if thou wilt ; but thou 
must come through my poor body to the bodies of 
these helpless victims!' Well, suppose the horrible 
tragedy complete, and our butchered remains all lying 
silent in their gore ; what then ? We are all dead ; 
we fell clinging to each other ; in a moment the pains 
of death were over; the 'debt of nature' is paid; 
where are we now? Where 1 Amiihilatedl Miserable! 
No! Our happy spirits, conveyed by holy angels, 
wing their lightning flight to the bowers of Paradise 
— to the home of the blest — to the blissful arms of an 
approving Redeemer — to the welcome embrace < of 
the just made perfect.' Who would not rather pass 
away thus unstained with blood, into the joys of that 



21 



Lord, who himself quenched the fiery darts of his 
malicious murderers with his own vital blood, than to 
purchase a few days of mortal life by precipitating 
into eternity a fellow creature, with his millstone of 
unrepentant crime about his neck ? Is it so dreadful 
a thing for the christian to be hurried to heaven-to 
be sent into eternal life a little before his natural time 
—to have all his pains of dissolution crowded into a 
moment ? Is life on earth, (brief at longest, and often 
embittered by distressing ills,) of so much value, that 
we would murder, rather than be murdered ? 0, let 
me die the death of the christian non-resistant, and let 
my last end be like his ! Let me suffer and die with 
Christ, that I also may live and reign with him. The 
conclusion then is, that in a vast majority of cases 
the non-resistant would remain unharmed by the sons 
of violence, and that in the ivorst supposable case, he 
would only be hurried out of this life, with his dear 
family, into a better. But rejoins the objector—' I 
consider it the duty of a christian to look to the good 
of society at large, and to contribute what he can. in 
a lawful way, to the security of life, person and prop- 
erty around him. Therefore let him assist in bring- 
ing malefactors to justice, and not shrink from aiding 
the magistrate in preserving the bulwarks of order.' 
And so we are to throw away God's judgment of 
what is best, and trample under foot the solemn in- 
junction of Christ ! Well, what shall we gain by this 
infidelity and rebellion ? ' Nay,— but we are in duty 
bound to love our neighbor— to seek the peace and 
welfare of society— to do our part towards protecting 
the innocent and helpless against the ravages of merci- 
less wolves— to maintain wholesome penal restraints.' 
Answer. We think we are seeking this great end 
more effectually, as non-resistants, than we could do 
by becoming informers, prosecutors, jailers or hang- 
men. 'An ounce of preventive is worth more than "a 



22 

pound of curative: But at all events, since we cannot 
fight, nor go lo law for ourselves or our dearest rela- 
tives, we must decline doing so for any other descrip- 
tion of persons. It is a favorite argument of our op- 
posers, that we are not required to love our neighbors 
BETTER than ourselves. Whether this argument be 
sound or not, perhaps it is not now necessary to affirm ; 
but it is certainly a very conclusive one, or ought to 
be, with the objector in this case, to show the unreas. 
onableness of requiring us to do more for our neigh- 
bors in society at large, than for ourselves, our wives 
and children. We must act on the same principles, 
and pursue the same general course with respect to 
all ; and in so doing ' we stand or fall to our own 
master.' 

' But we want the best men in office, the best laws 
fand the best administration of government. Will you 
be recreant to your trust as citizens ? Will you with- 
hold your votes from the side and cause of light ? 
Will you leave knaves and villains to govern the 
world ? ' Answer. We expect to do as much towards 
keeping the world in order by a straight-forward, con- 
sistent, exemplary practice of our principles, nay 
more, than by voting, office-holding, legislating, or pun- 
l ishing criminals. A truly good man wields an influ. 
'^ence on our ground great and salutary wherever he is 
known. It is not by the poor test of numbers that 
righteousness can gain its deserved respect in the 
world. It is not by getting into places of worldly 
power and emolument, that christians are to promote 
human welfare. It is not by fighting with carnal 
weapons, and wielding the instruments of legal ven- 
geance, that they can hope to strengthen the bonds of 
moral restraint. Majcrities often decree folly and ini- 
quity. Power oftener corrupts its possessor, than bene- 
fits the powerless. The real power which restrains 
the world is moral power, acting silently and unosten- 



23 



tatiously within and upon the soul. He, therefore, 
who has the fewest outward ensigns of authority, 
will, if wise and holy, contribute most to the gocd or- 
der of mankind. Besides, even unprincipled men in 
office are compelled to bow to a strong public senti- 
ment, superinduced by the efforts of good men in pri- 
vate life. They are not wanting in vanity to be es- 
teemed the friends of virtue, and from this motive 
generally conform their laws and proceedings more or 
less to a right general opinion. If we can do any 
thing towards promoting a sound morality, as we hope 
to do, we shall make our influence felt without envy, 
not only in the lowest depths of societj', but in the 
high places of political power. I expect, if true to 
my sense of duty, to do as much in my town and 
community towards preserving wholesome moral or- 
der, as if clothed with the official dignity of a ^rsf 
select-man, a representative to General Court, a jus- 
tice of the peace, or even a member of Congress. 
Whatever my natural ambition might have coveted in 
the blindness of unchastened nature, I now envy not 
Governors, Presidents, or Monarchs, their stations of 
usefulness and glory ; bnt feel that in humble obscu- 
rity T have a higher mission assigned me, in the faith- 
ful fulfilment of which it may be my privilege to do 
more for my race, than if elevated to either of their 
norld-envied seats. Every true non-resistant will be a 
great conservator of public as well as private morals. 
Away then with the intrigues and tricks of political 
ambition, the petty squabbles of partizans and office- 
holders, the hollow bluster of demagogues, and the 
capricious admiration of a tickled multitude. Let us 
obey God, declare the truth, walk in love, and deserve 
the gratitude of the world, though we never receive it. 
' But should non-resistants ever become the great 
majority in any community, pray how would they get 
on with public affairs. There must be highways, and 



24 

brid^e"^, and school houses, and education, and alms- 
hous'es, and hospitals.' Very well; nothing easier 
than for communities of christian non-resistants to get 
along with all these matters. Suppose them to meet, 
iu those days, from time to time within each town, or 
more general community, voluntarily, just as we are 
here assembled. Suppose them all anxious to know 
their duty, and ready to do it, as soon as clearly pomt- 
ed out Then of course the wisest will speak to at- 
tentive ears and upright minds. They will propose 
measures, discuss them in friendship, and come to a 
conclusion in favor of the ies^-without wounding 
personal vanity, or breeding a quarrel with each oth- 
er's selfishness. The law of love and the counsels of 
wisdom will prevail without strife, and all be eager to 
contribute their full share of expense and effort to the 
object. Instead of the leading few striving, as now, 
who shall be Jirst and greatest, the strife will then be, 
who shall have the least authoritj/. And among the 
mass instead of the strife, as now, who shall bear the 
li-htJst burden, the only strife will be-who shall do 
most for the promotion of every good work. Happy 
days, whenever they arrive! If there shall beany 
r,oor in those days, or any insane, or any unlettered or 
unaccommodated travellers, they will soon be abun- 
dantly provided for, without the aid of physical force 
■pains or penalties. God hasten that blessed era of 
love and peace, and grant success to all our well di- 
rected efforts in this holy cause. Thus finally may 
all human governments be superseded by the divine 
government, and the kingdoms of this world be swal- 
lowed up in the one all-glorious kingdom of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. And now, having freely expressed my 
views and feelings on the subject of the resolution 
presented, I submit them to the consideration ot the 
friends ; hoping that they will receive into good and 
honest hearts whatever is worth retaining, and the 
worthless cast away. Q 4^ * 



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